Srinagar, Mar 23:(KNS) Peoples Democratic Party state youth sectarary Arif Laigaroo has expressed deep concern over water-logging in city. 

pertinently following the heavy rainfall on Monday the city centre Lal Chowk and other areas of Srinagar ended up as a stagnant pool of water.

Laigaroo said that massive water-logging not just exposed the poor drainage system of Srinagar city but it also revealed the lack of civic sense among the people, testified by the heaps of polythene and plastic waste found inside the drains. 

He said that there is no denying the fact that the successive governments have failed to construct a proper drainage system in Srinagar which would cope well with the heavy rains. The people also share the part of the blame for not being able to take care of the drainage system which belongs to them and it is them who have to decide as to how it will behave during a heavy rainfall, he said.

“I do not expect them to be so naïve that they cannot tell the difference between ill-preparedness and ill-mechanism. We have no right to criticize the administration,” he said.

“The administrative apathy has unleashed the flood like conditions in the whole valley especially in Srinagar. I have been raising the issue of drainage failure in Srinagar city since 2014 but no concrete steps are being taken to address this problem permanently,” he said.

He further said the available dewatering system in Srinagar is extremely mediocre and the government should take focus on up-gradation of human resources and machinery of Srinagar Municipal Corporation so as to enable it to cope up with these challenging situations.

Laigroo also appealed to the people to minimize the usage of plastic and polythene bags which act as choking agents inside the drains and eventually lead to its blockage particularly in the Srinagar city.   

“We as responsible citizens also need to cultivate a good civic sense and stop the usage of polythene and plastic bags so that the sewage pipes and drains don’t get clogged. In the meantime, the government agencies must stand at guard to act promptly if any inconvenient situation arises until a lasting solution is brought in,” he added. (KNS)